Optimizing the Handling of Source Code Requests Between a Software Configuration Management (scm) System and a Software Integrated Development Environment (ide) Using Projected Ancillary Data

1. A method for optimizing the handling of source code requests by a software configuration management (SCM) system using projected ancillary data comprising: receiving a request for a source code file from a software integrated development environment (IDE) by a software configuration management (SCM) system; generating a response message for the request, wherein the response message contains the requested source code file; projecting ancillary data for the requested source code file, wherein the ancillary data comprises at least one of a supplementary source code file and a revision update; appending the projected ancillary data to the response message; and transmitting the response message with the projected ancillary data to the software IDE; wherein when the ancillary data being projected is a supplementary source code file, the projecting step further comprises: accessing a plurality of projection settings, wherein the plurality of projection settings define criteria for projecting at least one supplementary source code file; identifying the at least one supplementary source code file based upon the plurality of projection settings for the requested source code file; and retrieving the at least one identified supplementary source code file from a source code repository; and wherein when the ancillary data being projected is a revision update, the projecting step further comprises: ascertaining a usage context for the software IDE, wherein the usage context details source code files and associated revision information currently in use by the software IDE; identifying an existence of at least one newer revision within the SCM system for the source code files in use by the software IDE; and for each identified newer revision, generating the revision update for the source code file, wherein the revision update defines at least one difference between the newer revision in the SCM system and the source code file in use by the software IDE.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the criteria defined by the plurality of projection settings comprise at least one of a size of the supplementary source code file, a request frequency of the supplementary source code file, a metadata tag value associated with the supplementary source code file, a proximity relationship of the supplementary source code file to a user-identified code element, and a user-executed command within the software IDE.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein an execution of the revision update by the software IDE applies the at least one difference to the source code file in use by the software IDE, whereby transmission of an entirety of the newer revision is unnecessary.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the usage context is contained within the request for the source code file.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the usage context is obtained by additional communication with the software IDE.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the ascertaining and appending steps are conducted by a source code request handling optimizer, wherein the source code request handling optimizer is a software component of the SCM system.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said steps of claim 1 are performed by at least one machine in accordance with at least one computer program stored in a computer readable media, said computer programming having a plurality of code sections that are executable by the at least one machine.

8. A method for improving source code access in a software integrated development environment (IDE) using projected ancillary data comprising: receiving a response message from a software configuration management (SCM) system for a source code file request by a software integrated development environment (IDE), wherein the response message contains a requested source code file and at least one projected ancillary data item for the requested source code file, wherein the at least one projected ancillary data item comprises at least one of a supplementary source code file and a revision update, wherein when the projected ancillary data is a supplementary source code file, the supplementary source code file being projected by: accessing a plurality of projection settings, wherein the plurality of projection settings define criteria for projecting at least one supplementary source code file, identifying the at least one supplementary source code file based upon the plurality of projection settings for the requested source code file, and retrieving the at least one identified supplementary source code file from a source code repository, and wherein when the projected ancillary data being projected is a revision update, the revision update is projected by: ascertaining a usage context for the software IDE, wherein the usage context details source code files and associated revision information currently in use by the software IDE, identifying an existence of at least one newer revision within the SCM system for the source code files in use by the software IDE, and for each identified newer revision, generating the revision update for the source code file, wherein the revision update defines at least one difference between the newer revision in the SCM system and the source code file in use by the software IDE; storing the at least one projected ancillary data item in a memory storage area local to the software IDE; when the software IDE requires an additional source code file, examining the at least one stored projected ancillary data item for a match to the additional source code file; and when a match is found, providing the matching stored ancillary data item to the software IDE from the memory storage area.

9. The method of claim 8 , further comprising: when a match is nonexistent, requesting the additional source code file from the SCM system.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein, when the ancillary data item being provided is the revision update, the providing step further comprises: applying the revision update to a source code file currently in use by the software IDE, wherein the source code file being used by the software IDE is modified to match a newer revision of the source code file contained within the SCM system.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the storing, determining, and providing steps are performed by a source code moderator, wherein the source code moderator is a software component of the SCM system.

12. A software configuration management system that improves source code access for a software integrated development environment (IDE), the software configuration management system stored in a computer memory comprising: a source code request handling optimizer configured to provide a software integrated development environment (IDE) with at least one projected ancillary data item from a software configuration management (SCM) system, wherein the at least one projected ancillary data item is related to a source code file requested by the software IDE, and, wherein the at least one projected ancillary data item comprises at least one of a supplementary source code file and a revision update; the source code request handling optimizer configured to append the ancillary data to a response message of the SCM system that corresponds to the source code request, wherein the response message contains the requested source code file; wherein when the at least on projected ancillary data item comprises a supplementary source code file, the source code request handling optimizer further comprises: a plurality of projection settings configured to define criteria for projecting at least one supplementary source code file, and a source code projection engine configured to utilize the plurality of projection settings to identify at least one supplementary source code file, and wherein when the at least on projected ancillary data item comprises a revision update, the source code request handling optimizer further comprises: a revision update generator configured to ascertain a usage context for the software IDE, wherein the usage context details source code files and associated revision information currently in use by the software IDE, to identify an existence of at least one newer revision within the SCM system for the source code files in use by the software IDE, and to generate the revision update for a source code file being used by the software IDE, wherein the revision update contains at least one difference between a revision of the source code file being used by the software IDE and a newer revision of the source code file contained within the SCM system.

13. The software configuration management system of claim 12 , further comprising: a source code moderator configured to facilitate a use of the ancillary data by the software IDE, wherein the source code moderator operates local to the software IDE.

14. The software configuration management system of claim 12 , wherein the criteria defined by the plurality of projection settings comprise at least one of a size of the supplementary source code file, a request frequency of the supplementary source code file, a metadata tag value associated with the supplementary source code file, a proximity relationship of the supplementary source code file to a user-identified code element, and a user-executed command within the software IDE.

15. The software configuration management system of claim 12 , wherein the plurality of projection settings comprises at least one user-configurable criteria associated with a user of the SCM system, wherein import and export functions are able to be performed upon the at least one user-configurable criteria.

16. The software configuration management system of claim 13 , wherein the requested source code file and supplementary source code files are contained within a source code repository managed by the SCM system.